•Shootout at Primary •Adeuti is Labour Party candidate
The governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2012 governorship election in Ondo state, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, on Saturday emerged as the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Akeredolu defeated 23 other to emerge as the party candidate during the primary held at the International Event Center (DOME) in Akure, Ondo State capital.
The former chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) polled a total votes of 669 to defeat his closest opponent in the contest, Dr Olusegun Abraham, who polled a total votes of 635
Former National legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the candidate of the party in 2012, Chief Olusola Oke scored over 500 votes to come third while the lawmaker representing Ondo senatorial district at the Senate, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, scored over 400 votes.
While announcing the result, The Chairman of the Election Committee and Jigawa state governor, Muhammed Badaru commended the delegates for their comportment saying the election was transparent, free and fair.
The election was witnessed by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headed by it administrative Officer, Kabiru Omosanya
There was a shootout at the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship election in Ondo State on Saturday as men of the state Police Command and the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) engaged themselves in a supremacy battle.
The shootout occurred at the entrance of the Ondo State International Conference Centre, (The Dome) venue of the Gubernatorial Primary of the APC primary, while there was physical assault between the two groups.
Though, no casualty was recorded by either side during the shootout but the situation led to an uproar and confusion as people at the event centre started running for safety.
It was gathered that the genesis of the face-off which occurred at about 5:30pm was caused by some mobile policemen who reportedly turned back the vehicle of the state Commandant of the NSCDC, Adeyinka Fasiu, from entering the venue of the primary.
The source said the Fasiu, visited the venue of the election primary to assess his men at their duty post while an argument ensued between his men and the police.
The mobile policemen at the main entrance were said to have told the commandant to disembark from his official car and walk.
This infuriated the NSCDC men who frowned on the development and led to a serious altercation between the two groups while teargas and gunshot were fired into the air sporadically.
A source told Sunday Tribune that men and officers of the NSCDC refused to honour the AIG when walking into the main hall of the event.
He said while police officers at the venue rose to respect their boss, some men of the NSCDC refused to give the police bosses the deserved compliment. This according to him led to the walking out of two of the NSCDC men by some mobile police officers who saw their act as an attempt to relegate their boss.
The situation was, however, brought under control and it took the intervention of the senior officers from the two groups to douse the tension while the delegates of APC continued with their voting.
Attempt to speak with the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) , Femi Joseph was not successful as all calls to his telephone was not getting through.
Meanwhile accreditation commenced across the three locations spread across the capital city of Akure around 10:30am with many of the delegates complaining about the slow pace of the process.
While the Ondo Central delegates gathered at the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade, the Northern senatorial districts delegates converged on the Ondo State Housing Development Hall at Ijapo Estate and the southern delegates used the ESS – BEE Arena along Ondo road for their accreditation.
Some leaders of the party who spoke on condition of anonymity condemned the monetization of the process saying some of the delegates have been financially induced
Voting however commenced at exactly 12:05pm with accredited delegates trooping to the voting center from their various accreditation centers.
The exercise was concluded around 6:30pm while sorting of the votes commenced around 6:45pm and lasted for about four hours.
Labour picks Adeuti
Taiye Stephen Adeuti, on Saturday, emerged as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the election.
Adeuti was unanimously adopted by the party delegates after his main opponent for the party’s ticket, Olugbenga Julius Ojo, decided to step down for him during the exercise held at Royal Bird Hotel, Alagbaka, Akure.
Commending the aspirants, the chairman of the election committee and the deputy national chairman of the party, Ladi Iliya charged the candidate and party members to continue working towards the success of the party in order to win the forthcoming election.
In his acceptance speech, the candidate commended the party’s member for their understandings and the confidence reposed in him for electing him as the LP candidate and pledged to lead the party to success in November governorship election.